Another question about O-60 switches

@CoulstonR posted:

Note: I own a MacBook and apparently an not able to download SCARM or any additional track planning software that could help me here.

Check out RailModeller Pro! It's the Mac equivalent of SCARM or AnyRail. Even better in a couple ways, IMHO.

https://www.railmodeller.com/home-railmodeller.html

@CoulstonR posted:

Hello everyone, I have read a few different threads on similar topics and need some assistance. As I have learned, O-60 switches have an additional 1 3/8" of straight track attached at the beginning of the switch which throws of the geometry if you are replacing a curve with a switch. I have a simple loop at the moment of O-60 and am trying to replace a curve with a switch for entrance to my yard. To accomplish this, what exactly can I do? Do I need to place a piece of 1 3/8 at joint "B" on my crude drawing? And also, if the opposite side of the loop is 40" long, what length of straight track do I need on the "switch side"?

Thanks for all of your knowledge on this topic.

Here are your options. Existing track is dark grey, switch and its included fitters are blue, sections you'll need to add are orange.

For the first three options, you'll need to add 2x 1 3/8" sections in different parts of the opposite corner.

For the last option, you'll need to replace 1x 10" section on the lower side with 1x 4.5” section and 2x 1 3/8” sections.

Hope this helps!

@Mike0289 posted:

Here are your options. Existing track is dark grey, switch and its included fitters are blue, sections you'll need to add are orange.

For the first three options, you'll need to add 2x 1 3/8" sections in different parts of the opposite corner.

For the last option, you'll need to replace 1x 10" section on the lower side with 1x 4.5” section and 2x 1 3/8” sections.

Hope this helps!

Thank you Mike, option 4 is exactly what I was hoping for, but the other posts truly confused me

Mike, are one of those 1 3/8 pieces the one that has 1/2 the roadbed cut out to fit the "V" or do I need to use 2 additional 1 3/8 pieces? The picture you posted makes it seem like it's two additional but I wanted to make sure

@CoulstonR posted:

Mike, are one of those 1 3/8 pieces the one that has 1/2 the roadbed cut out to fit the "V" or do I need to use 2 additional 1 3/8 pieces? The picture you posted makes it seem like it's two additional but I wanted to make sure

Nope!

The blue section includes the switch itself and the 2x 1 3/8" pieces that come with it (the ones with roadbed cut out). The orange sections include additional regular 1 3/8" pieces (6-12073) that you'll need to buy separately. Since each 060/072 switch comes with 3 fitters total (1x without any roadbed and 2x with roadbed on one side), you could, in a pinch, use the spare 1 3/8" fitters if you had enough switches on the layout. It would look funky, though, due to the gaps in roadbed you'd end up with when those pieces are used away from switches.

Awesome, thank you for the help